There may be many in Dalton who think that there will be plenty of time later in their lives to see to their estate planning. Yet such thinking leads to many entering into their golden years without even having a will. Research information shared by Forbes Magazine shows that over half of Americans over the age of 55 do not have a will. If any amongst this group were to die unexpectedly, the obvious that would arise from amongst their potential beneficiaries would be who among them is entitled to inherit their estates.
The legal term assigned to one who dies without a will is "intestate." States create their own guidelines detailing who intestate estates are to be distributed. Georgia's can be found in Section 53-2-1 of the state's detailing Wills, Trusts, and Administration of Estates. Here, it states that one's intestate estate shall be divided equally amongst their surviving spouse and their children (with the descendants of one's child who has preceded them in death inheriting that child's share). In this scenario, the portion of the estate going to the surviving spouse shall never be less than one-third of its overall value. In the event one leaves behind no lineal descendant's, their spouse is their sole heir.
